Dental tool holders formed of a generally plan perforated sheet which receive the inserted ends of a metal dental hook burs, files, etc., permit the dentist to readily remove a desired file, bur, or like grinding tool, and return the same after use. U.S. Pat. No. 1,451,806 to Baldridge discloses such a structure. Further, sterilizable instrument and appliance containers have been employed in the form of double-walled molded plastic rectangular trays to support metal tools for surgery and the like. The tray and the tools carried thereby is submerged within a body of liquid where, the tools are subjected to ultrasonic vibrations for cleaning of the same in the presence of cleaning solution. Alternatively, the instrument container may be placed in a steam and subjected to a temperature in excess of 120.degree. C. for sterilization of the surgical tools and the like. Trays or containers of this nature are the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 3,437,423 to Mondiadis.
In the dental field, the dentist requires, at his hand, not only the burs and files constituting grinding tools, but various clamps, cotton balls or pellets, absorbent paper points, and the like. Where the block supporting the files and burs is required to be placed within a solution for ultrasonic cleaning of the tools and subsequently within a high-temperature oven for sterilization, it is impossible to permit that block to retain cotton pellets, paper products, and the like, since they would be ruined by submersion within the cleaning liquid.